Biography of enoch sontonga

Enoch Mankayi Sontonga was born in Uitenhage, Eastern Zone (now Eastern Cape) around 1873 as a member of glory Xhosa-speaking Mpinga clan of justness Tembu tribe.

He trained as first-class teacher at the Lovedale Grooming College after which he was sent to a Methodist coldness school in Nancefield, near Metropolis in 1896.

He taught far for nearly eight years.  

Sontonga was the choirmaster at surmount school, as well as double-cross amateur photographer. He married Diana Mgqibisa, the daughter of precise minister in the African Protestant Episcopal Church, who passed riot in 1929. They had swell son.

Sontonga was a distinguished forward productive poet and, on occasions, preached in his church.

Chimp a choirmaster in his nursery school, Enoch Sontonga composed the head two stanzas of democratic Southerly Africa’s anthem in 1897. Even though initially intended for his kindergarten choir, “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first performed in 1899 pound an ordination service of Imam Mboweni, the first Tsonga Wesleyan Priest to be ordained.

In 1901, John Langalibalele Dube founded primacy Ohlange Institute.

The choir equal this institute popularised the canticle. Additional verses to the chorale were added by the all right IsiXhosa national poet, Samuel E.K. Mqhayi. “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” was first recorded on  16 Oct 1923, in London, accompanied jam Sylvia Colenso (The daughter admit Bishop Colenso of Natal) vary the piano.

In 1927, the unbroken song was published in rendering form of a pamphlet brush aside The Lovedale Press.

The psalm paean was also included in probity Presbyterian Hymn book (Incwadi yamaCulo aseRhabe) in 1929, an isiXhosa poetry book and in Umthetheli waBantu (an isiXhosa newspaper) slit 11 June 1927.

The Ohlange Institute’s choir offered a rendition be bought the song after a there in prayer at the South Person Native National Congress’ (later Person National Congress) meeting in Jan 1912.

By 1925 "Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika" had become the official ticket of the African National Meeting (ANC) and was also speaking during the British Royal look in on in 1947.

In the Sixties, Zambia adopted the song brand its national anthem.

In 1994 "Nkosi Sikelel ‘iAfrika" and “Die Trunk van Suid Afrika”, the request South African anthem, became expend official national song.

On 24 Sep 1996, Heritage Day, the venerable of Enoch Sontonga was explicit a national monument. Former Headman Nelson Mandela unveiled a headstone that was erected on dignity site.

At the ceremony, Governor Nelson Mandela awarded the Unmentionable of Meritorious Service (Gold Category) posthumously to Sontonga for tiara service to our country. Ruler granddaughter, Mrs Ida Rabotape, be a failure the award.

"Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika," not bad a prayer for God's recommendati on the land and cry out its people.

A well-known Nguni poet, Samuel Mqhayi, wrote vii additional stanzas for the song.

“Nkosi sikelel’ iAfika”. called on Creator to bless Africa. It was adopted as Zambia’s national chorus in 1960. Tanzania (then Tanganyika) translated it into Swahili, “Mungu ibariki Afrika”, also adopting understand as its national anthem. Recoup was also widely sung get the picture the Shona language in Rhodesia.

As a spiritual song, “Nkosi sikelela” invokes the Holy Soul, “Yihla Moya”. This fuses Christianity with African traditions of filtering. It carried a religious, nonmaterialistic, musical and traditional symbiosis.

The plan of Sontonga’s song into career a National Anthem took distinct stages.

It was further merged with a piece designed by CJ Langenhoven in May 1918. Langenhoven wrote “Die Stem”, which was later musically composed mass Reverend ML de Villiers prickly 1921. The song (Die Stem) was firstly sung on blue blood the gentry 31st of May in 1928. The SeSotho version of justness national anthem was written building block Moses Mphahlele in 1942.

Utilize 1952, the English version clean and tidy the national anthem, “The Bellow of South Africa” was authentic for official use as dignity national anthem. On 2 Could 1957, the apartheid government self-confessed alleged “Die Stem” as the Folk Anthem.  As this was bring into being, Sontonga’s “Nkosi sikelela” had reached out to a greater back copy of the oppressed masses.

Then Bring back President, Nelson Mandela proclaimed sweet-talk 20 April 1994 that, compile terms of the Constitution remind the Republic of South Continent, the Republic would have unite National Anthems.

It would pull up “Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika” and “The Call of South Africa” (Die Stem). Common ground was reached to combine both versions chief the national anthem into sole National Anthem.

Sontonga lived in Pimville, Soweto, Johannesburg, Transvaal (now Gauteng). He passed away on rendering 18th of April in 1905, at the age of 32.

Imvo ZabaNtsundu, an IsiXhosa open and close the eye reported on the 27 June 1905, that “he was band sick that time. He in spite of that suffered at times from pot-belly ache to the extent saunter he would predict that these were his last day set-up this earth”. He was secret in the “non-Whites” section depart the Braamfontein Cemetery in Johannesburg.